HCC Southwest College uses fun-filled Spring 'Yeehaw' Fling Festival to help community
May 23, 2017
Houston Community College (HCC) Southwest recently created a fun-filled day to encourage students, faculty and staff to take a break from the stress of classes, studying and working. The West Loop Campus side parking lot transformed into a rodeo-themed amusement park equipped with carnival rides, games, food and live deejay. The first-annual festival provided more than fun, it provided an opportunity to raise awareness and give back to the community.
“The festival committee selected the Fort Bend Diaper Bank as the charity recipient,” said Mark Lambert, Chairman of the Spring Fling Committee. “We placed donation bins at near the front desks of the West Loop Campus, Brays Oaks Center, Gulfton Center and Stafford Campus. In just over two weeks, our Southwest College came together to help others in our immediate community – that makes me proud.”
HCC Southwest College donated a total of 4,852 diapers, 771 incontinence supplies and 21 packages of diaper wipes for those in need in the greater Houston Area.
“The donations provided immediate help for 14 families and nine senior, diaper-depended adults,” Executive Director of the Diaper Bank Laura Solyom said. “We are so grateful to HCC for the donation and look forward to partnering again to make next year bigger and better!”
After the charity presentation, hundreds of festival goers along with the HCC mascot, Swoop, practiced their riding skills on the mechanical bull, participated in various line dances, showed off their hoop skills at the basketball shootout game and tested their speed and agility at the obstacle course race. There were free giveaways for all, face painting, and the aroma of carnival mainstays like funnel cakes, popcorn, hotdogs, nachos with cheese wafting through the air.
Students created colorful sidewalk art drawings that lined the edge of the festival to raise awareness during International Anti-Harassment Week. Students and faculty from the Diversity and Inclusion Committee participated in the “Meet Us on the Street – Sidewalk Project”, a global movement aimed at tackling the problem of gender-base street harassment. Students made their voices heard by expressing their feelings. Statements like, “Don’t call me baby!” and “Treat people the way you want to be treated,” were etched in the pavement as a reminder to think before you talk.
The Spring “YeeHaw” Fling Festival even spurred local radio station KOVE-FM to broadcast live from the event while the HCC Communications team went live on social media to share the exciting festival with it’s followers. Through these broadcasts, potential students were encouraged to register early for the summer and fall sessions to avoid long lines.
“Next year, I’d like to addmore carnival activities, relocate the event closer to the parking garage in the plaza, secure community sponsors and open it to the public for all to enjoy,” Lambert said. “My personal goal is to double our diaper donations at Southwest College. The event caught the attention of other HCC campuses and it looks like the Spring “YeeHaw” Fling Festival will be expanded to new campuses and include more students next year!”
